JUST POLITICS
New Tourism Ministry Announced
Licence Testing Discriminates Against Over-80s
Organics Could Be NZ’s Competitive Advantage
Green Reputation Worth Big Bucks
More Clean Prisoners
NZ Must Plan For Future Power Crises
Hawkins Fails To Inspire New Police Recruits
New Navy Choppers

POLITICS FROM TODAY’S TOP SCOOPS
Declining Mine Consent Makes Environmental Sense
Why Was The Hen Factory Havoc Episode Pulled?
LAV IIIs: Who’s Telling The Truth? Asks Hide
Keith Rankin: Not Guilty Of Rhetorical Fallacy
Calls For UN Holy Land Peace Monitors Mount

JUST POLITICS

New Tourism Ministry Announced

- The government has taken significant decisions which acknowledge the importance of tourism to New Zealand, the Minister of Tourism Mark Burton told the Tourism Conference in Rotorua this morning. See... Tourism Ministry And Marketing Partnership [1] - Greens - Greens Support Ministry Of Tourism [2] - Parekura Horomia - Maori Authenticity Key To Tourism Future [3] - Mark Burton - New Tourism Forecasts Released At Conference [4]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0108/S00381.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0108/S00399.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0108/S00396.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0108/S00382.htm

Licence Testing Discriminates Against Over-80s

- Grey Power still believes that the present testing of the over 80's is discriminatory, and, as a medical examination is necessary, the doctor should be able to advise the driver to give up driving and fail him or her on medical grounds, as carried out in England. See... Grey Power On Drivers Licenses [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0108/S00086.htm

Organics Could Be NZ’s Competitive Advantage

- Green MP and organic farmer Ian Ewen-Street today said figures showing huge growth in organic sales showed what value New Zealanders, and the rest of the world, placed on clean, green and natural food. See... Soaring Organics Sales Show NZ's True Advantage [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0108/S00393.htm

Green Reputation Worth Big Bucks

- New Zealand’s clean green image could be worth billions of dollars in export earnings, Environment Minister Marian Hobbs said today. See... 'Clean And Green' Image Worth Billions - Report [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0108/S00401.htm

More Clean Prisoners

- The target to reduce the number of positive random drug tests to 20 percent over the past year has been achieved, says Matt Robson Minister of Corrections. See... Drugs In Prisons Reduced [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0108/S00398.htm

NZ Must Plan For Future Power Crises

- Green Party co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons today said New Zealand needed to develop long-term plans to avoid future power crises due to low hydro lake levels. See... Plan Now To Avoid Future Power Crises [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0108/S00397.htm

Hawkins Fails To Inspire New Police Recruits

- The more people who have seen George Hawkins running the police, the fewer who have wanted to join. George Hawkins is no Uncle Sam, National's Police Spokesman Tony Ryall said today. See... Hawkins No Uncle Sam [1] and Recruitment Campaign Promotes Police Diversity [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0108/S00383.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0108/S00380.htm

New Navy Choppers

- A formal ceremony and flight display have been held at Whenuapai Airbase in Auckland this morning to mark the official acceptance by the New Zealand Defence Force of two new navy helicopters. See... Navy Takes Delivery Of New Helicopters [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0108/S00379.htm

TOP SCOOPS

Declining Mine Consent Makes Environmental Sense

- Conservation Minister, Sandra Lee's decision to decline consent to GRD Macraes' mining access application is environmental common sense, Forest and Bird says. See... Decision On Macraes' Mine Common Sense [1] MORE: - Govt - Minister Declines Extension Of Proposed Gold Mine [2] - Libz - Minister Nukes Property Rights In Mine Decision [3] - Freshwater Anglers - Decision "A Good Start" [4] - ACT - O'Connor Hung Out To Dry By PM [5] - Force Lee To Resign [6] - NZ First - Good For You, Damien! [7] - Nats - Decision Driven By Politics Not Environment [8] - Greens - Greens Relieved By Sensible Mine Decision [9]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0108/S00081.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0108/S00374.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0108/S00084.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0108/S00082.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0108/S00391.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0108/S00385.htm
[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0108/S00390.htm
[8] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0108/S00387.htm
[9] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0108/S00378.htm

Why Was The Hen Factory Havoc Episode Pulled?

- Green Animal Welfare and Broadcasting Spokesperson Sue Kedgley today said she is looking forward to seeing the Havoc Show - in which cameras were taken into a battery hen factory - as soon as possible. See... Kedgley Keen To See Havoc Show [1] . Russell Brown has seen the episode, and put forward a hypothesis for why TVNZ pulled it only hours before it was due to be broadcast in Friday’s HARD NEWS [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0108/S00400.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0108/S00106.htm

LAV IIIs: Who’s Telling The Truth? Asks Hide

- ACT Finance spokesman Rodney Hide said today it was now obvious that “Weakest Link” Minister Mark Burton couldn't answer the tough questions concerning his portfolio responsibilities. See... A Simple Question for Cabinet's "Weakest Link" [1] FULL COVERAGE: - ACT - Burton goes for a Burton [2] - ACT Insists on Burton's Resignation [3] - Burton Down the LAV [4] - Nats - Serious doubt over adequacy [5] - Govt Hoodwinked [6] - Govt - Hunt for a scandal that isn't there [7]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0108/S00384.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0108/S00345.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0108/S00358.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0108/S00357.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0108/S00342.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0108/S00377.htm
[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0108/S00369.htm

Keith Rankin: Not Guilty Of Rhetorical Fallacy

- Gordon King's reply to my column Parliament: Polypoly or Duopoly would have been a useful contribution to the debate about the issues I raised were it not for the blatantly ad hominem opening paragraph. See... Keith Rankin: Rejoinder To Gordon King [1] EARLIER: - Gordon King - Feedback: Political PolyPoly [2] - Keith Rankin - Parliament - Polypoly or Duopoly? [3]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0108/S00109.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0108/S00103.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0108/S00090.htm

Calls For UN Holy Land Peace Monitors Mount

- The Permanent Observer of Palestine to the United Nations has requested an urgent meeting of the Security Council, citing its "obligation to effectively and immediately intervene to put an end to the present tragic situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem," according to a document released today at UN Headquarters in New York. See... Palestine requests urgent Security Council meeting [1] , Greens call for peace monitors in West Bank [2] and US/Egyptian Comments On Peace Process [3]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0108/S00058.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0108/S00366.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0108/S00060.htm

© Scoop Media

Alastair Thompson

Scoop Publisher

Alastair Thompson is the co-founder of Scoop. He is of Scottish and Irish extraction and from Wellington, New Zealand. Alastair has 24 years experience in the media, at the Dominion, National Business Review, North & South magazine, Straight Furrow newspaper and online since 1997. He is the winner of several journalism awards for business and investigative work.

CONTACT ALASTAIR THOMPSON

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